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Family Medicine  (Expert Forum)
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Night sweats - HIV?
Questions in the Family Medicine forum are answered by Dr. J.M. Keyes. Topics covered include general health issues, adolescence, babies, child health, eating disorders, fitness, immunizations and vaccines, infectious diseases, medical tests and procedures, and senior health.

Night sweats - HIV?

by lrhamilton, Oct 24, 2002 12:00AM
I am a 34 year old, healthy female, married for 6 years.  In Aug. 1995, I spent an evening with a man I'd just met - I never had sex with him, but we deep kissed for a long time, and he lightly tongued my vagina for like 5 seconds before I stopped him.  I didn't have any sores in my mouth or in my vagina.  I never developed any illness for at least a year afterward (believe me, I was watching for one), and have rarely been sick at all these past 7 years.  I've gotten 4 physicals during that time, and all have shown normal CBCs, normal cholesterol, normal everything.  I never got an HIV test, even though I was worried after that encounter.  I am a really anxious person, and was recently seen for gastritis, at which time they did another CBC, again normal.  However, for the past week or so, I've been really hot at night and have been sweating during sleep - not drenching, but uncomfortable enough to necessitate taking off my clothes.  It doesn't seem to happen if I sleep outside the covers, but that just makes me cold!  I know I might sound silly, but is there any chance this could be early signs of HIV infection?  I have no other symptoms - no fever, enlarged lymph nodes, diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, yeast infections, etc.  Nothing, except this weird sweating, and only during sleep - not if I'm awake, or lying in bed for hours reading.  I also have been trying to get pregnant, and am awating the arrival of my period on Oct 29th to see if we succeeded.  

Please let me know if you think I should be worried about HIV infection.

by Forum-M.D.-DT, Oct 26, 2002 12:00AM
Thank you for visiting the family practice forum.
My impression following reading your question is that it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you have HIV. However, you do present with symptoms of night sweats despite a normal CBC. A T.B. skin test and and HIV test would most certainly put your mind at ease. In my experience, the most common causes of night sweats are :
1. Anxiety
2. Medication side effects (i.e. anti-depressants)
3. Tuberculosis
4. Hyperthyroidism
5. Cancer
6. A chronic viral illness (such as HIV).

If you came to my office, in addition to doing a thorough examination I would check a CBC and an HIV test and I would make sure the "night sweats" are not the side effect of a medication you may be taking. NO....I don't think you have HIV or Cancer...but put both of our minds at rest and have a blood test to rule out these posibilities.

I hope this helps you ...

Dr. Tomasello
Member Comments (4)

by ErinF, Oct 25, 2002 12:00AM
I'm not a doctor, but the things you engaged in with this man are VERY low risk.  If you're that worried, go get tested...I know it's scary (I've been tested very recently) but once you find out you're negative all your worry will go away.  I wouldn't doubt it's worry that's making you sick, as a matter of fact.

If you're working at getting pregant, you need to know for sure anyway.  On the VERY remote chance you are HIV positive, there are measures that need to be taken to protect your unborn baby...and your husband.  

No one has to know you are getting tested...just about ever town has confidential or anonymous testing, you could go to another town just to make sure no one knows you if you need to.

by dontworry, Jan 25, 2003 12:00AM
a hiv test is very scary,i went through a sweat one time like 1 month ago,but it is really hot in my basement.it was after a sex,i dont have any lymph glands or nods,im not thrushing,no diarhea (diarrhea),but my stomach hurts a bit,but i guess thats cause i eat bad foods,and i have to ****.i just got back into lifting weights,and when u tart up agian u get sore muscles,but other then that i don have anything else,please write back

by chunn77, Feb 26, 2003 12:00AM
I'm a single man. I had sex with a woman whom I never met before about SEVEN months ago. I did use condom at the time but I was not sure the kind of the condum. After two days, I experienced some fewer during the day. Since then, I never have had diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss,..ect after that. Till recently, I've noticed that I've got quite a few pimples around and in the back of my neck. (I'm confused with pimples and enlarged lymph nodes, though). I was wondering if this is an indication of HIV. Please let me know.

by chunn77, Feb 26, 2003 12:00AM
I'm a single man. I had sex with a woman whom I never met before about SEVEN months ago. I did use condom at the time but I was not sure the kind of the condum. After two days, I experienced some fewer during the day. Since then, I never have had diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss,..ect after that. Till recently, I've noticed that I've got quite a few pimples around and in the back of my neck. (I'm confused with pimples and enlarged lymph nodes, though). I was wondering if this is an indication of HIV. Please let me know.
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